


Social Dynamics of the Air Bison, or, Appa Thinks Aang Is Way Too Nice For His Own Good

by LizBee



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Character of Color, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-20
Updated: 2011-02-20
Packaged: 2017-10-15 23:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/165775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizBee/pseuds/LizBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang thinks it's time for Mai to make friends with Appa. Mai and Appa think he's out of his mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Social Dynamics of the Air Bison, or, Appa Thinks Aang Is Way Too Nice For His Own Good

"Come on, buddy, meet Mai. We're friends now."

"We are?"

This girl was part of Blue Fire's herd. Blue Fire had the bright girl who flew and the cold one with the knives, and this was the cold girl.

Appa growled, deep and low, warning her off.

"No, no." His Boy petted him, long, reassuring strokes over his face. Reluctantly, Appa relaxed. Just a little. "We're friends now. She's with Zuko."

Zuko was what His Boy called the Fire Boy, who had freed him from the caverns. Appa had other, more distant memories, of being chased with heat and flame, but Fire Boy had released him from his prison, a memory as vivid and warm as the first time His Boy gave him food.

So he considered the Cold Girl again. She smelled of metal -- metal all over her body, hidden by her clothes -- but she made no sudden movements, nothing that might threaten His Boy.

"Give him this."

His Boy handed her a cabbage, the biggest and juiciest cabbage Appa had seen in--

Oh, cunning Boy. Appa rumbled, to indicate that he was aware of the trick, and merely chose to cooperate because he did not want to let good cabbage go to waste. Momo, on His Boy's shoulder, chittered with disappointment.

It was very good cabbage. He licked the Cold Girl's hands.

"Oh, gross," she said, wiping them on her sleeve, so Appa licked her face as well, just to show that he could.

"See?" His Boy said, "he likes you!"

"I guess," said Cold Girl." Her hand touched Appa's nose. She had tasted of cotton and steel and Fire Boy. "Is that it? Are we friends?"

Appa rumbled.

"Yes!" said His Boy. "That means he likes you."

Appa sneezed.

It was a long way to the koi pond, but his aim was perfect. Cold Girl stood up, dripping with water and bison snot and bits of cabbage.

"Great," she said. "That's fantastic."

Appa licked her again as she passed, and rumbled happily. _Now_ they were friends.

 

end


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